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3 Floyds and the Robot Warrior Necron 99

3 Floyds Brewing produces not one, but two preeminent craft whales: Zombie Dust Pale Ale and Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout. But if you are only seeking out 3 Floyds’ over-hyped offerings, then you are missing out on a whole portfolio of excellent brews. Alpha King, Space Station Middle Finger, Gumballhead and even their session IPA Yum Yum are all beers worth seeking out.

One beer that deserves a little more love from the Three Floyds year-round rotation is “interplanetary IPA” Necron 99. A call back to animated cult classic Wizards, a post-apocalyptic fantasy film, Necron 99 fits its namesake character well. Necron 99 was a robot sent to fight the film’s protagonist in a battle of magic versus industrial technology, only to lose the appetite for war and be renamed Peace—yes, this movie was made in the 1970s.

Appearance

The bottle design features Necron 99 brandishing a weapon set against a colorful background that would look more like a sunset than post-apocalyptic if not for Necron 99’s menacing stare. The beer itself pours a luscious hazy dark orange. Few, if any, bubbles rise through the body, while a small head quickly fades to oily-looking islands on top--foreshadowing the slickness in the mouthfeel yet to come.

This unique take on the IPA style makes for a memorable flavor ride that is more of a one-and-done brew.”

Aroma

Necron 99 has a medium-strong aroma that neither overwhelms nor is particularly difficult to pick up. Tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and passion fruit do the heavy lifting, while some malty aromas peek through as well. The fruit and malt leads to a sweet smelling beer, but not in a syrupy sort of way. Necron 99 smells like a bright fruit chew spiked with booze.

Flavor

All of the prototypical flavors of the hazy IPA craze immediately peak on the palate, before Necron 99 takes a hard left away from that style. Pineapple and other tropical fruits come through and are supported by even more fruit-like berries, peaches and grapes. That hard turn taste takes Necron 99 into barleywine territory, dominated by wine-like sweetness. A boozy punch rounds out the beer and balances it with a hint of heat. The taste fades after each sip with a heavy but dry finish.

Overall

3 Floyds used to brand Necron 99 as a Scortch—not Scotch—Ale, in yet another nod to the aforementioned film. It feels like an appropriate play on words, with the beer featuring some Scotch ale- or barleywine-like characteristics. This unique take on the IPA style makes for a memorable flavor ride that is more of a one-and-done brew, meaning Necron 99 is a great candidate for a one beer kind of night. With Necron 99, 3 Floyds’ brewers prove they are wizards yet again.